1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, image pickup method, and image processing method, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, image pickup method, and image processing method which obtain an all-in-focus image or blur-emphasized image by compositing multiple images with different focus positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an all-in-focus image in which the entire image is in focus or an image with a controlled blur has been obtained by compositing multiple images shot by focus bracketing which involves taking successive shots by changing a focus position. However, the compositing process has a problem in that any camera shake or subject movement during the successive shooting will reduce correlation among the images used for the process, making it impossible to obtain an intended image.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-84444 discloses an image pickup apparatus which can obtain images under shooting conditions suitable for a compositing process by switching to shooting conditions different from those in normal shooting mode when creating an image with a controlled blur by compositing multiple images of different focal lengths. When shooting in focus-bracketing mode, the image pickup apparatus can minimize camera shake and subject movement using shooting conditions provided by a combination of a minimum exposure time of an image pickup element and such an f-stop number that will minimize the exposure time.